Kite



U. WILCOX.

KITE. APPLICATION mu) AUG. 15. 1919.

1,381,264. PatentedJune'14,1921.

Jul/612381;"

PATENT OFFICE.

URQIIHAR'I' WILCOX, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

KITE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1921.

Application filed August 15, 1919. Serial No. 317,646.

To all to from 2'27 may concern:

Be it known that I, URQUHART WILooX, a citizen of the United States, residing in Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Kites, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a kite of winged form and more particularly to one wh1ch resembles or simulates a butterfly.

The object of the invention is to provide a kite of this character which is simple in construction so as to be easily and qulckly assembled and capable of being roduced at low cost.

In the accompanying drawlngs:

Figure 1 is a front view of one form of my improved kite with the paper covering partly removed to showthe frame structure. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the kite body. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the r bs or frame members. Fig. 6 is a front view of a modified form of the kite body.

Similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1-5, 10 indicates the body of the kite which is preferably constructed of two hinged sections v11, 12 thereby permitting the sections of the same to fold and unfold similar to the movement of the wings of butterfly and thus permit the wings of the kite to move rearwardly when subjected to wind pressure. These sections are hinged at their rear sides by a cloth strip 13 or other suitable means, which is glued or otherwise secured to the respective sections. If desired, head and tail members 14 and 15, respectively, may be provided, which may be made of paper, cardboard or other similar material and which are secured to the rear sides of the hinged sections so as to move therewith.

In order to simulate the butterfly, the kite is provided with an upper pair of wings 16 arranged on opposite sides of the upper part of the body and a lower pair of wings 17 arranged on opposite sides of the lower part of the body, the frame structuresof which are fastened to the body of the klte. The frame structure of the upper pair of wings is composed of two upper ribs or frame members 18 and two lower ribs 19, which ribs are curved to correspond to the curyatures of the wings of a butterfly, the des red curvature being maintained by strings or cords 2O connecting the opposing outer or free ends of the upper and lower ribs 18, 19.

The frame structure of the lower pair of wings is composed of two upper ribs 21 and two lower ribs 22 which ribs are curved to correspond to the curvature of the butterfly wings, the desired curvature being maintamed by strings 23, connecting the opposing outer ends of the upper and lower ribs 21, 22. The inner ends of the several ribs are secured to the respective hinged sections of the body 10 in any suitable manner so that they radiate from the body, but as shown in the drawings, the preferred construction consists in providing each body section with inclined notches or recesses 24 and 25 for the upper ribs of the upper wings and notches 26 and 27 for the ribs of the lower wings which notches receive the corresponding inner ends of the respective ribs. These ribs are slightly inclined rearwardly from the body of the kite, so as to present a convex surface to the wind, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and to prevent the same from becoming displaced laterally of the body, each is provided with a notch 28 at its inner end which is inclined in a for- Ward direction longitudinally of the rib or in a direction opposite to the desired inclination thereof, and which is adapted to engage the lower end of the corresponding notch in the body. These several ribs are securely held intheir recesses by nails 29, as shown, or by any other suitable means.

The frames of each pair of wings are covered in the usual manner with paper or similar material 30 which is fastened at its edges to the body, ribs and the strings connecting the ribs and which may be colored to simulate the wings of a butterfly. The strings are preferably applied to the outer ends of the ribs of each wing so that these ribs are sprung or bent slightly into curved form which tension operates to hold the paper covering of the wing taut 1zpid insure the best flying qualities of the ite.

In order to closely simulate the appearance of a butterfly the upper parts of the lower wings overlap one side of the lower parts of the upper Wings and to secure this result the upper rib of each lower wing is secured to the body between the upper and lower ribs of the upper wing on the same side of the body.

To limit the extent to which the wings may be collapsed, folded or deflected rearwardly by reason of the hinge connection between the sections of the body, elastic band or spring 31 or other flexible means is adapted to extend transversely across the oint between the body and wing section and is fastened to the upper ribs 21 of the lower wings through one or another pair of corresponding holes 32 arranged in longitudinal rows on these ribs. These holes permit of adjusting the tension of the band 31 and thereby obtain the desired. deflection of the wings when flying the kite.

The belly band 33 may be attached at its upper end to the upper ribs of the upper wings and at its lower end to the lower end of the body 10 of the kite, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the modified form, as shown in Fig. 6, the body is constructed of a solid section 10, with the head and tail members 1 and 15 mounted thereon so as to be incapable of folding and unfolding. If desired, these latter members may be of cardboard and glued to the body, as in the preferred con struction.

This kite is exceedingly simple in construction and can be easily assembled by children and owing to the small number of parts required, can be produced at a very moderate cost.

I claim as my invention:

1. A kite comprising a body composed of two pivotally connected sections, and upper and lower sets of wings carried by said body, one of said sets of wings partially overlapping the other set of wings.

2. A kite comprising a body composed of two pivotally connected sections, wings car ried by said body and each having upper and lower frame members fixed at their inner ends to said body, and means connecting the outer ends of corresponding frame members. 1

3. A kite comprising a body composed of two pivotally connected sections, wings carried by said body, and means for resisting folding of said wings.

4. A kite comprising a body having notches in its edges and wings spreading from said body and h ving frame members, the latter being provided with inclined notches at their inner ends adapted for engagement with the corresponding notc ied portions of said body, whereby said frame members are deflected rearwardly from said body.

5. A kite comprising a body having sections united by a hinge connection, wings arranged on said body and provided with frame members each having an inclined notch in its inner end, said body being provided with notches adapted to receive the corresponding notched portions of said frame members and a flexible member extending across said bodyand adapted to resist folding of said wings.

6. A kite in the form of a butterfly comprising a body having head and tail members, wings arranged on said body and provided with frame members curved to conform to the wings of a butterfly and each having an inclined notch in its inner end, said body being provided with notches dapted to receive the corresponding notched portions of said frame members and dispose the latter rearwardly from Said body, and a flexible member extending across said body and wings to resist folding thereof.

7. A kite comprisinga body, an upper pair of wings arranged on opposite sides of the upper part of the body, and a lower pair of wings arranged on opposite sides of the lower part of said body each lower wing having its upper part overlapping one side of the lower part of the companion upper wing on the corresponding side of the body, all of said wings and body being in substantially the same plane.

8. A. kite comprising a body, an upper pair of wings arranged onopposite sides of th upper part of the body, and a lower pair of wings arranged on opposite sides of the lower part of said body each lower wing having its upper part overlapping the front side of the lower part of the companion upper wing on the corresponding side of the body, each of said wings being provided with upper and lower ribs which are secured at their inner ends said body and the upper rib of eachlower wing being secured to the body between the upper and lower ribs of the pending upper wing, all of said wings and l ody being in substantially the same A lane 9. r kite comprising a body, an upper pair or wings and a lower pair of wings, the wings of each pair being provided with upper and lower bent ribs secured at their inner ends to said body, and means connecting the free ends of the companion ribs and holdin the same in their bent position.

' URQUHART WILCOX. 

